noun
rumor
ROO-muh
noun
1
A piece of information or claim circulating by word of mouth, without a confirmed source.
"A rumor spread that the factory was closing."
verb
1
To spread as an unconfirmed story.
"It was rumored that the two companies were merging."
How to Use Rumor
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUnverified information passed around informally — could turn out true or false.
UK vs US
"Rumor" is the American spelling; "rumour" is standard in the UK, Canada, and Australia.
Common pairings
spread a rumor
rumor has it
rumor mill
Word Forms
rumored past tense, rumors plural, rumors singular
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A _____ spread that the factory was closing.
Etymology
From Old French rumeur, from Latin rumor, "common talk or noise."